全球化的概念不但新穎，而且具有革命性，我們生活的各個層面幾乎都受它的影響。尤有甚者， 此現象是如此的復雜，以致衍生出不確定性、危機、挑戰、矛盾、兩難，當然也有轉機。
從而數十年來， 全球化過程已成了全球專家學者唇槍舌戰的重要議題之一。持樂觀論點者認為， 全球化加速了國與國之間的交流與互換，也同時改善了世界各國之間的國際關係。在此全球化的世紀裡，世界上的民主國家不是接受就是認同民主與人權優先於統治權、及人權不分國際等觀念。因此，這些民主國家除了本身致力推動人權外，對自全位處亞太地區，尚未全盤民主化的國家，也同樣不遺餘力施予善意的支持與鼓勵。
在過去20年擔任台北市議會劃議長與議長的經驗中，我得以見證並親身參與台灣的民主化過程。現在台灣已經音身為完全民主的國家，我們也應該與亞太其他國家攜手合作，繼續就深度與廣度雙方面推進及改善民主。
此外，在此全球化的世紀裡，聯合國亦應與各國政府、民間組織、以及非政府組織( NGO) 建立新的關係，以迎接全球化帶來的挑戰，並分享它帶來的利益。當我參加由聯合團主辦的第55 屆NGO會議時，我個人欣然見到世界各地NGO快速的發展，以及它們在世界福祉及民主化發展中所扮演的角色。現今世界上有超過2,000個NGO致力於推動民主化與人權保障等崇高的目標。此類非官方組織也在亞太地區如雨後春筍般出現。舉例來說， 全日本的NGO數量就達到的85,000其中的391個組織是專注於團際發展與援助上。
令人振奮的是，今年4 月在日本舉辦的第一屆台灣日本NGO座談會是如此成功，以至於日本方面的贊助廠商已經預計民今年9月底派出代表至台灣討論關於贊助第二屆座談會的合作事宜。我個人覺得我們應該投注更多心力能促進亞太地區類似方面的合作上。
我也相信在此一全球化的世紀裡，於「民主發展」、「民主統治」及改善人權方面所獲致的成就，將幫助亞太地區國家的經濟競爭力，也將有助於吸引其他國際性企業前來投資。簡而言之，在一個完成國際化的社會裡，我們必須重建或發展出新的使命、傳承與制度，因為全球化才是我們繁榮的唯一之道。The concept of globalization is not only new but revolutionary; it has affected almost every aspect of our life. Moreover, it is so complex that it creates uncertainties, risks, challenges, paradoxes, dilemma, and also opportunities.
Thus, for decades, globalization has become a much-debated issue among scholars around the world . Those who hold optimistic views believe that globalization promotes international interflows and exchanges, thus enhancing the inter-relations around the world; that in the Era of Globalization, democratic nations around the world have either accepted or acknowledged that the principles of
democracy and human rights are absolutely superior to those of "sovereignty," and that human rights are "borderless." Threrfore, all the democratic countries, in addition to persisting in carrying out human rights, should provide good-will support and encouragement for those countries in the Asian Pacific region that do not fully carrying out democracy.
My past 20-year-experience as the Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Taipei City Council has offered me a chance to witness and actively participate in the process of democratization in Taiwan. Now Taiwan has already progressed into a completely democratic nation, Taiwan should join hand in hand with other nations in the Asian Pacific region to further enhance the development of democracy in the Asian Pacific region both in depth and width.
Moreover, in the Era of Globalization, the United Nations must develop a new partnership with every nation's government, civil organizations and non-governmental organizations to meet the challenges of globalization and to share the benefits of globalization. And I am most happy to see the progressive development of NGOs throughout the world and the role they play in the world welfare and in the development of democratization while I attended the 55th Conference of the NGOs sponsored by the UN. Now, around the world, there are more than 2,000 NGOs devoted to promoting the lofty goal of democratization and human rights . Such non-governmental organizations are also mushrooming in most countries in the Asian Pacific region. The number of NGOs throughout Japan, for example, amounts to 85,000; 391 of them are devoted to international development and aids.
An encouraging news is that the First Taiwan-Japan NGOs Forum that we held in Japan in April was so successful that the co-sponsoring unit in Japan will dispatch a mission to Taiwan at the end of this September to discuss about sponsoring the Second Taiwan-Japan NGOs Forum. I think that we should exert greater efforts in promoting similar cooperation among NGOs in the Asian Pacific region. I also believe that in the Era of Globalization, the achievements in "democratic development" and the "democratic governance" as well as the enhancement in human rights gained by the Asian Pacific nations will not only enhance their competences in economy but also attract more international investments. In a word, in the global cosmopolitan society, we have to reconstruct or create new missions, legacies, and institutions because globalization is the only way for us to thrive.